Timbers on the road at defending champs

PORTLAND, Ore. — After consecutive home games, the Portland Timbers head out for the first of two away matches during the month of April on Saturday to take on the LA Galaxy at The Home Depot Center in Carson, Calif.; kickoff is set for 7:30 p.m. (Pacific).

The matchup between the Timbers and defending-MLS Cup champion Galaxy will be broadcast live across the Portland Timbers Television Network in Medford (KFBI-TV/My48).

The Timbers (1-3-1, 4pts) face the Galaxy (1-3-0, 3pts) in the first of three regular-season meetings Saturday. In 2012, Portland must travel to Southern California twice to play the Galaxy (April 14, June 17), while hosting the three-time MLS Cup champions on July 14. The two sides split the 2011 season series 1-1-0, with each team winning at home by a 3-0 margin (Portland on Aug. 3; LA Galaxy on April 23). Midfielder Diego Chara and goalkeeper Troy Perkins made their Timbers debuts against the Galaxy on April 23, 2011, while defenders Mike Chabala and Eric Brunner and forward Jorge Perlaza all scored goals in a 3-0 win over the Galaxy on Aug. 3 at a sold-out JELD-WEN Field.

The Galaxy have one win through four regular-season matches in 2012. Head coach Bruce Arena’s club had to juggle playing a two-legged CONCACAF Champions League quarterfinal series against Toronto FC on March 7 and March 14 in between the team’s MLS season opener against Real Salt Lake on March 10. The Galaxy, who are without 2011 MLS Defender of the Year Omar Gonzalez following offseason ACL surgery, have lost back-to-back games for the first time since Aug. 21-28, 2010. They have not lost three straight games since Arena took over as head coach in August 2008.